Knight Templar (Cavalier/Cleric)

While most knightly orders are concerned with honor and noble combat, certain cavaliers seek a more divine path and align themselves with a temple and deity most appropriate to their outlook. Knight templars are servants of a higher power, roaming the lands in search of the devout, while removing those who seek to weaken or destroy the faith. While they are not solely a militant arm of the church, knight templars can deal a crushing blow in the heat of battle, or channel their faith into divine spells or healing energies. Though not as heavily armored as other cavaliers, the knight templar has their own way of ensuring victory in battle and the pursuits of the faith. (Original Concept by Byrdology)

Primary: Cavalier.Secondary: Cleric.Alignment: Any. Hit Dice: d10.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The knight templar selects three cleric skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal cavalier class skills. The knight templar gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The knight templar is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, with light and medium armor, and with shields (except tower shields).

Knightly Devotion (Sp): Beginning at 1st level, a knight templar can cast a small number of divine spells as a spell-like ability. The knight templar must select a domain that belongs to his deity, but gains no school powers. A knight templar’s selection of knightly devotion spells is limited to those from his domain. A knight templar can cast the 1st–level spell from his domain his 1st–level devotion.

At 5th level, a knight templar can cast the 2nd–level spell from his domain as his 2nd–level devotion.

At 9th level, a knight templar can cast the 3rd–level spell from his domain as his 3rd level devotion.

At 13th level, a knight templar can cast the 4th–level spell from his domain as his 4th level devotion.

At 17th level, a knight templar can cast the 5th–level spell from his domain as his 5th level devotion.

When casting a 1st–, 2nd–, or 3rd–level devotion spell, the knight templar expends one daily use of his knightly devotion ability, while casting a 4th– or 5th–level devotion spells expends two daily uses of his knightly devotion ability. A knight templar can use his 1st–level or higher knightly devotion a number of times per day equal to 1/2 his knight templar level. A knight templar has a caster level equal to his knight templar level. This ability replaces tactician, banner, greater tactician, greater banner, and master tactician.

Templar’s Challenge (Su): At 1st level, a knight templar gains the cleric’s channel energy ability, except that the amount of damage dealt is equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every three templar levels beyond 1st (2d6 at 4th, 3d6 at 7th, and so on) to a maximum of 7d6 at 19th level. The target of the knight templar’s channeled energy receives a Will save to halve the damage. The DC of this save is equal to 10 + 1/2 the knight templar's level + the knight templar’s Charisma modifier. This ability can be use a number of times per day equal to 3 + the knight templar’s Charisma modifier.

Alternatively, as a swift action, a knight templar can choose one target to challenge within a 30-foot radius the knight templar. Challenging a foe requires much of the knight templar’s concentration. The knight templar takes a –2 penalty to his Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of his templar’s challenge. When the knight templar makes a successful melee attack against the target of his challenge, he may choose to expend two uses of his templar’s challenge ability to channel the power of his faith into his weapon as if it had the conductive weapon ability. The struck opponent suffers the effects of both the weapon attack and the channeled energy. The challenge remains in effect for a number of rounds equal to the knight templar’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1), or until the knight templar has channeled energy through a successful melee attack against the target of his templar’s challenge, whichever comes first. Each cavalier’s challenge also includes another effect which is listed in the section describing the cavalier’s order. This ability replaces challenge.

Order: This is exactly like the cavalier’s ability of the same name, except that the templar must select the Order of the Temple Bastion.

Spontaneous Casting: At 3rd level, a knight templar gains the cleric’s spontaneous casting ability, except that the knight templar can only channel stored spell energy from his knightly devotions into healing spells that he did not prepare ahead of time. This ability replaces cavalier’s charge.

Bonus Feats: This is exactly like the cavalier’s ability of the same name, except that the knight templar can select these bonus feats those listed as channeling feats, combat feats, or teamwork feats. The knight templar must meet the prerequisites of these bonus feats as normal.

Grand Knight (Su): At 20th level, if the knight templar confirms a critical hit on a templar challenge when channeling energy, the target receives the maximum amount of channeling damage. The target of the knight templar’s challenge receives a Will save to halve the damage as normal. In addition, a knight templar can expend three uses of his knightly devotion to cast his 6th–level domain spell once per day. This ability replaces supreme charge.